The syllabus for GATE 2021 will be made available in online mode on the official website by the concerned authorities. Aspirants will be able to check the PDF files containing the detailed GATE syllabus for all 25 subjects. Candidates must note that questions in the GATE exam will be asked from the topics enlisted in the GATE 2021 syllabus only.Â
Before starting the preparations for the exam, the candidates must:
- Go through the detailed syllabus thoroughly so as to avoid any confusions or discrepancy.
- Lay more focus and time on the sections in which they are weak.
In this article, we have explained the detailed syllabus for GATE 2021. Aspirants qualifying the GATE exam will be eligible for admissions into various IITs, NITS, IIITs and CFTIs, and some PSUs recruitment.
Latest Update – As per the revised Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) scheme, the qualifying score for GATE exam has been changed to 650; it was 750 earlier. Also, among the 25 institutions, NITs will also be eligible to grant the fellowship.Â
GATE Syllabus – Subject-wise
The concerned authorities will announce the syllabus for GATE 2021 along with the official notification. As per the previous year’s notification, the subject-wise detailed syllabus is mentioned below.
GATE Syllabus for ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
| Architecture and Design | Building and Structures |
| Building Materials, Construction and Management | Environmental Planning and Design |
| Planning Techniques and Management | Services, Infrastructure and Transportation |
| Urban Design | Urban Planning and Housing |
GATE Syllabus for CHEMISTRY
| Physical Chemistry | Inorganic Chemistry |
| Organic Chemistry | |
GATE Syllabus for METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING
| Engineering Mathematics | Extractive Metallurgy |
| Manufacturing Processes | Mechanical Metallurgy |
| Physical Metallurgy | Thermodynamics and Rate Processes |
GATE Syllabus for MINING ENGINEERING
| Economics, Mine Planning, Systems Engineering | Engineering Mathematics |
| Geo-Mechanics and Ground Control | Mine Development and Surveying |
| Mining Methods and Machinery | Surface Environment, Mine Ventilation, and Underground Hazards |
GATE Syllabus for PHYSICS
| Atomic and Molecular Physics | Classical Mechanics |
| Electromagnetic Theory | Mathematical Physics |
| Nuclear And Particle Physics | Quantum Mechanics |
| Solid State Physics and Electronics | Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics |
GATE Syllabus for PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
| Engineering Mathematics | General Engineering |
| Industrial Engineering | Manufacturing Processes I |
| Manufacturing Processes II | Operations Research and Operations Management |
| Quality and Reliability | |
GATE TEXTILE ENGINEERING AND FIBRE SCIENCE Syllabus
| Chemical Processing | Engineering Mathematics |
| Fabric Manufacture, Structure And Properties | Textile Fibres |
| Textile Testing | Yarn Manufacture, Yarn Structure and Properties |
GATE ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION Syllabus
| Behavioural Ecology | Ecology |
| Evolution | Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology |
GATE Mathematics Syllabus for XE
| Differential Equations | Engineering Mathematics |
| Linear Algebra | Numerical Methods |
| Probability and Statistics | Vector Calculus |
| Calculus | |
GATE Fluid Mechanics Syllabus for XE
| Differential Analysis | Dimensional Analysis |
| Flow and Fluid Properties | Integral Analysis |
| Internal Flows | In Viscid Flows |
| Kinematics | Brandt Boundary Layer Equations |
GATE Material Science Syllabus for XE
| Characterisation Techniques | Elements of Quantum Mechanics and Mathematics |
| Environmental Degradation | Material Types |
| Processing of Materials | Properties of Materials |
| Structure and Imperfections | Thermodynamics And Kinetics |
GATE Thermodynamics Syllabus for XE
| Basic Concepts | First Law of Thermodynamics |
| Ideal Gas Mixtures | Properties of Pure Substances |
| Second Law of Thermodynamics | Thermodynamic Cycles |
| Thermodynamic Relations | |
GATE Food Technology Syllabus for XE
| Food Chemistry and Nutrition | Food Engineering |
| Food Microbiology | Food Products Technology |
GATE CHEMISTRY Syllabus for XL
| Atomic Structure And Periodicity | Chemical Equilibria |
| Electrochemistry | Reaction Kinetics |
| S, P and D Block Elements | Structure and Bonding |
| Structure-Reactivity Correlations And Organic Reaction Mechanisms | Thermodynamics |
GATE Syllabus – Stream-wise
GATE aspirants can check the below tables to know about the stream-wise syllabus of GATE 2021.
Gate Syllabus for BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
| Analog and Digital Electronics | Biomaterials |
| Biomechanics | Electrical Circuits |
| Engineering Mathematics | Human Anatomy and Physiology |
| Measurements and Control Systems | Medical Imaging Systems |
| Sensors and Instrumentation | Signals and Systems |
GATE Syllabus for MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
| Engineering Mechanics | Thermodynamics |
| Strength of materials | Refrigeration & Air Conditioning |
| Heat Transfer | General Aptitude |
| Machine Design | Industrial Engineering |
| Fluid Mechanics | Engineering Mathematics |
| Theory of Mechanics | Manufacturing Engineering |
GATE Syllabus for INSTRUMENTATION ENGINEERING
| Analog circuits | Circuits & Networks |
| Measurements | General Aptitude |
| Communications | Signals and Systems |
| Control System | Transducers |
| Digital Circuits | Engineering Mathematics |
| Analytical Biomedical & Optical Instrumentation | Process Controls |
GATE Syllabus for ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
| Network Theory | Communication Systems |
| Electronics Devices & Circuits | EMT |
| Digital Circuits | Engineering Mathematics |
| Signal & Systems | General Aptitude |
| Analog Circuits | Micro Processors |
| Control Systems | – |
GATE Syllabus for ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
| Network Theory | Analog & Digital Electronics |
| Signal & System | EMT |
| Control Systems | General Aptitude |
| Power Systems | Engineering Maths |
| Electrical machines | Power Electronics |
| Electrical & Electronics Measurements | |
GATE Syllabus CIVIL ENGINEERING
| Engineering Mathematics | Environmental Engineering |
| Geometrics Engineering | Geotechnical Engineering |
| Structural Engineering | Transportation Engineering |
| Water Resources Engineering | |
GATE Syllabus for CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
| Chemical Engineering | Chemical Reaction Engineering |
| Chemical Technology | Engineering Mathematics |
| Fluid Mechanics and Mechanical Operations | Heat Transfer |
| Instrumentation and Process Control | Mass Transfer |
| Plant Design and Economics | Process Calculations and Thermodynamics |
GATE Syllabus for AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
| Aerodynamics | Engineering Mathematics |
| Flight Mechanics | Propulsion |
| Space Dynamics | Structures |
GATE Syllabus for AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
| Agricultural Processing Engineering | Dairy and Food Engineering |
| Engineering Mathematics | Farm Machinery |
| Farm Power | Irrigation and Drainage Engineering |
| Soil and Water Conservation Engineering | |
GATE Syllabus – Preparation Tips
While preparing for the Graduate Aptitude Test Engineering (GATE) exam, the candidates can follow the below mentioned preparation tips after going through the GATE 2021 syllabus –
- Before proceeding with the preparations, the candidates must go through the exam pattern along with the syllabus.
- Going through the exam pattern will make the candidates aware about the weightage that each topic holdsand plan their preparations accordingly.
- Give more time and focus to the topics with higher weightage.
- Refer to all the respective books while preparing to make sure that you don’t leave any topic untouched.
- Stay healthy and keep your mind calm so as to prepare well for the GATE exam.
*We have given the detailed exam pattern, section-wise weightage, and reference books for the GATE exam below.
GATE Syllabus – Exam Pattern
As discussed above, the candidates must go through the exam pattern described for the GATE exam along with the syllabus. Being well acquainted with the exam pattern will also help the candidates to get an idea about the section-wise weightage and official marking scheme described by the authorities. No changes have been made in the exam pattern for the GATE exam. Still, if any changes are announced with the official notification for GATE 2021, we will update this page. Meanwhile, the candidates can go through the below mentioned details.
- The exam will be conducted in online mode (computer-based test) for the time duration of 180 minutes, i.e. 3 hours.
- There will be a total 65 multiple-choice and numerical-type questions. The GATE exam will be conducted for a total of 100 marks.
- The questions will be asked from three sections in the exam, i.e. General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics and Subject Specification Section.
- As per the marking scheme, some questions will carry 1 mark each and other 2 marks each.
- For questions carrying 1 mark each, 1/3 marks will be deducted for wrong answers, and for questions carrying 2 marks, 2/3 marks will be deducted.
- There is no negative marking for numerical type questions.
GATE Section wise Weightage Distribution:
| Sections | Number of Questions and Marks per part | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks |
| General Aptitude (GA) | 5 questions of 1 mark each and 5 questions of 2 mark each | 10 | 15 |
| Question Papers other than GG, XE and XL | 25 questions of 1 mark each and 30 questions of 2 mark each | 55 | 85 |
| Sections | Number of Questions and Marks per part | Number of questions | Maximum Marks |
| Question Paper GG (Geology and Geophysics) | PART A (Compulsory Section) | PART B | 55 | 85 |
| 25 questions of 1 mark each | Section I (Geology) and Section II (Geophysics) (Attempt Any 1 question): 30 questions of 2 mark each |
| Sections | Number of Questions and Marks per part | Number of questions | Maximum Marks |
| XE Paper (Engineering Sciences) | General Aptitude (15 marks) | Section A Engineering Mathematics (Compulsory): | Sections B to H: (Attempt Any Two) | 55 | 85 |
| 7 questions of 1 mark each and 4 questions of 2 marks each | 9 questions of 1 mark each and 13 questions of 2 marks each |
| Sections | Number of Questions and Marks per part | Number of questions | Maximum Marks |
| XL Paper (Life Sciences) | General Aptitude (15 marks) | Section P Chemistry (Compulsory Section): | Sections Q to U: (Attempt Any 2) | 55 | 85 |
| 5 questions of 1 mark each and 10 questions of 2 marks each | 10 questions of 1 mark each and 10 questions of 2 marks each |
GATE Syllabus – Reference Books
We have mentioned the topic-wise names of all the important books that the candidates can refer to while preparing for GATE 2021.Â
GATE Preparation Books for Computer Science (CS)
| Book | Author |
| TOC – Theory of Computation | Ullman |
| Operating System | Galvin |
| Architecture | Hamacher |
| Algorithm | Cormen |
GATE Preparation Books for Agriculture Engineering (AG)
| Book | Author |
| Soil & Water Conservation | VVN Murty |
| Farm Machinery by Three Authors | (known by book’s name) |
| Concept of Agricultural Engineering | Mohanty Das |
GATE Preparation Books for Electrical Engineering (EE)
| Book | Author |
| Power Electronics- | P S Bimbhra |
| Fundamentals of Circuits | Alexander, Sadiku |
| Electrical Machines | Nagrath, Kothari |
GATE Preparation Books for Chemical Engineering (CH)
| Book | Author |
| Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering | McCabe -FPM and MO |
| Principles of Mass Transfer and Separation Processes | BK Dutta |
| Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics | JM Smith |
| Heat Transfer | JP Holman |
| Essentials of Chemical Reaction Engineering | Fogler |
| An Insight into Chemical Engineering | M.Subbu |
| Chemical Engineering For Gate Principles Solved Problems & Objective Type Questions | Ram Prasad |
GATE Preparation Books for Mechanical Engineering (ME)
| Book | Author |
| Thermodynamics | P.K.Nag |
| Theory of Machine (TOM) | R.S Khurmi |
| Strength of Materials | S.S. Ratan |
| Production Engineering | Swadesh Singh |
| Heat Transfer | Cengel |
| Fluid Mechanics | R.K. Bansal, Frank M.White |
GATE Preparation Books for Civil Engineering (CE)
| Book | Author |
| Steel | Bhavikatti |
| Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering | Gopal and Ranjan |
| RCC | Pillai and Menon |
| Open Channel Flow and Engineering Hydrology | K Subramanya |
| Highway Engineering | Khanna and Justo |
| Fluid Mechanics | R K Bansal |
| Environment 1 and 2 | S K Garg |
GATE Preparation Books for Production and Industrial Engineering (PI)
| Book | Author |
| Thermodynamics | P.K Nag |
| Theory Of Machine | SS Ratan |
| Strength Of Material | Sadhu Singh |
| Refrigeration | Made Easy Class Notes |
| Production | S K Mondal Notes & Swadesh Singh |
| Material Science | Made Easy Class Notes & Swadesh Singh |
| Machine Design | VB Bhandari |
| IC Engine | Mathur Sharma |
| Heat Transfer | Made Easy Class Notes |
| Fluid Mechanics and Machinery | Modi & Seth |
GATE Preparation Books for Electronics & Communication Engineering (ECE)
| Books | Author |
| Solutions of Network Analysis | GK Publications |
| Network Theory | Prof Yoganarasimhan |
| Network Analysis | Van Valken Burg |
| Network Analysis | Soni and Gupta |
| Microelectronic Circuits | Sedra and Smith |
| Graph Theory | Narsing Deo (Cutset and Others) |
| Engg. Circuit Analysis | Hayt and Kemmerly |
| Electronic Devices Circuits | Boylestad and Nashelsky |
| Electric Circuits | Schaum’s Series |
| Circuit Theory | Chakravarthy |
GATE Preparation Books for other subjects
| Subject | Name of Books/Authors (Commonly Known) |
| Paint Technology | PK Nag |
| Oil Engineering | RK Bansal, RK Rajput |
| Marine Engineering | RK Rajput, RK Bansal, |
| Instrumentation & Control | Natesan, Mukherjee & Chakrawarthy |
| Information Technology | GATE 2020 Last Year Papers |
| Geology and Geophysics | Complete Master Guide GATE – Amresh Singh |
| Chemical Engineering | Cengel & Boles |
| Bio Technology | Lehning M Prescott, Eldon John, Lehninger |
| Architecture | The Road Ahead, GATE Architecture |
GATE Syllabus – FAQs
Q. Are there any chances of change in the syllabus for GATE 2021?
No, the syllabus for GATE has not been revised since long. Still, if any changes are made in the syllabus for GATE 2021, the authorities will announce it with the release of the official notification, and we will update this page accordingly.
Q. Where can we get the detailed GATE syllabus 2021?
We have given the detailed syllabus for GATE along with other insights in this article. Moreover, the candidates can visit the official website of IIT Bombay (conducting body for GATE 2021) website to access the syllabus for the exam.
Q. For how many papers can a GATE aspirant appear for?
Candidates can only apply for one GATE paper in a year. The authorities conduct the GATE exam for a total 25 papers. Each year, a candidate can apply for only one paper out of all 25. Multiple entries will not be considered valid by the authorities.
Q. Will the GATE syllabus be the same for all the subjects?
No. The GATE syllabus 2021 will vary from subject to subject and course to course. The candidates can access the official website to know the syllabus of their desired subject or course. Also, the weightage of the topics will also vary accordingly.
Q. How many total papers are there in GATE 2021?
There are a total of 25 GATE papers conducted every year by the authorities. The authorities release the subject-wise syllabus for all GATE papers. Candidates will gain access to the official syllabus for GATE 2021, once it is announced by IIT Bombay.
Stay tuned to Buddy4Study to get the latest updates and news on GATE Exam 2021.